Why Do My Teeth Hurt When I Bite Down? Causes and Relief Tips

If you feel an acute or dull throbbing pain with every bite then this could be a serious issue. It means that there is abnormal pressure or damage affecting either your tooth, the nerve inside your tooth or the surrounding supportive tissues in your jaw. Whilst mild sensitivity could be short term it is an indication that there is an issue within your tooth that needs to be treated.

Understanding why your teeth hurt when you bite down can help you to recognize important symptoms and seek prompt treatment from a licensed dentist to protect your natural smile.

What Are the Common Causes of Tooth Pain When Biting Down?

How Does Tooth Decay Cause Pain When Biting Down?

One of the most common reasons why your teeth hurt when you bite down is because of tooth decay. Decay occurs when the bacteria in your mouth eat the sugars and create an acidic substance.

Loss Of Enamel: Acid eats away at the hard outer layer of your tooth (enamel) leaving holes in your teeth.
Sensitivity Of Dentin: Dentin contains lots of tiny tubes which connect to the nerve inside your tooth. When you bite down the pressure forces food into the open tubes causing sharp pain.
Pulpitis: If left untreated the bacteria will eventually force their way through the dentin and damage the center of your nerve causing pain and inflammation.

Can a Cracked Tooth Cause Sharp Pain When Biting?

A cracked tooth can cause unpredictable sharp pain when you bite down. Dentists often refer to this as cracked tooth syndrome.

Micro Cracks: Tiny cracks can occur due to trauma, biting down on hard objects such as ice or simply due to wear and tear.
Flexible Pieces: When you bite down a cracked tooth will cause the pieces to move and flex causing irritation to your sensitive nerve.
Pain When Released: Often the pain will increase when you release your bite as the pieces of your tooth will move back into place and pinch your nerve.

How Does Gum Disease Cause Pain When You Bite Down?

Your teeth are surrounded by soft gums and jaw bone to support them. If bacteria affects this then you will feel pain when you bite down.

Gingivitis/Periodontitis: Build up of plaque along your gum line causes localized swelling, redness and pockets of bacteria to accumulate around the roots of your teeth.
Pressure On Ligaments: As you chew the pressure will push your tooth down into the inflamed infected gums and damaged ligaments causing a dull throbbing pain.
Jaw Bone Damage: Advanced gum disease can cause damage to your jaw bone. This will cause your teeth to become slightly loose and cause pain when you bite down.

Can Broken or Loose Dental Work Cause Biting Pain?

If you have existing dental work such as fillings, crowns or bridges then they can become broken, loose or worn.

Leakage: After many years of using your filling the glue can start to fall away allowing bacteria to get underneath causing further decay.
Cracked Crown: A crown that has cracked or chipped will not distribute the pressure from your bite evenly causing increased pressure on certain parts of your tooth.
High Fillings/Crowns: If you have had a new filling or crown fitted it could be slightly high causing an uneven bite and putting extra pressure on one tooth.

How Does an Abscessed Tooth Cause Pain When Biting?

An abscess is a severe bacterial infection that has formed at the tip of your tooth root inside your jaw bone.

Fluid Build Up: Once the bacteria enters your tooth root it will begin to create fluid and pus which will build up at the tip of your root.
Unable To Escape: As the fluid can’t escape from inside your jaw bone pressure will build up quickly and will cause extreme pain from even the lightest of touches or bite.
Swollen Gums: An active root abscess can cause your gums to become swollen, tender on your face, smelly breath and throbbing.

Can Teeth Grinding Cause Pain When Biting Down?

Teeth grinding can put pressure on individual teeth making them very sensitive.

Bruxism: Grinding your teeth whilst you sleep causes extreme pressure on your teeth. This will tire your jaw muscles and cause bruising to your ligaments.
Soreness In Mornings: If you are grinding your teeth whilst you sleep you will likely feel general soreness when you bite down at breakfast.
Crooked Teeth: If your teeth are crooked or your jaw doesn’t align correctly then certain teeth will hit first causing them to take the brunt of the impact from chewing.

Can a Dead Nerve Cause Tooth Pain When Biting?

If your tooth has suffered severe trauma or the bacteria have gotten deep inside then the nerve can start to die.

Sensitivity: As the nerve starts to die your tooth may become insensitive to hot and cold but very sensitive to pressure.
Inflammation: Toxins will begin to build up in your bone socket as the dead tissue inside your root canal begins to break down.
Nerve Death: A dentist will be able to identify if your nerve has died by using digital x-rays to identify dark shadows (periapical lesions) around the tip of your root.

Can a Sinus Infection Make Your Teeth Hurt When Biting?

Sometimes your teeth will hurt when you bite down due to issues with your sinus. The roots of your upper back teeth sit next to your maxillary sinuses.

Sinus Pressure: If you suffer from seasonal allergies or a virus your maxillary sinuses will become inflamed causing pressure to build up.
Pain From Pressure: This will press down on the nerve endings of your upper back teeth causing multiple of your upper molars to hurt.
Identifying Symptoms: If your teeth hurt when you bite down and you have a stuffy nose, pressure in your face or the pain increases when leaning forwards then it could be due to your sinus.

Can New Dental Work Cause Pain When Biting Down?

If you have recently had some dental work done you may feel slight sensitivity to pressure.

New Fillings: When getting a new filling part of your tooth will be removed to fit the filling in. This can cause some irritation to your nerve for a few days to a week.
Root Canal: After a root canal the ligaments around the tip of your root will need to heal from the previous infection.
High Fillings: If you feel your new restoration is high your dentist will be able to easily reshape it so it fits comfortably and you won’t feel any pain.

How Will a Dentist Diagnose Pain When Biting Down?

To ensure you receive the correct treatment a dentist will use specialist equipment to find the cause of your pain.

Bite Down Test: A dentist will ask you to bite down on a small plastic tool known as a tooth slooth or bite stick to identify which cusps are causing the pain.
Digital X-Ray: Digital x-rays will show any hidden cavities between your teeth, cracks, bone loss and infection at the tip of your root.
Pulp Testing: A dentist will use a mild temperature or electric pulp tester to ensure the nerve inside your tooth is still alive, inflamed or dead.
Gum Depth: Measuring the depth of your gum pockets will help to rule out deep gum disease or vertical root fractures.

What Are the Treatment Options for Pain When Biting Down?

Your dentist will provide treatment depending on what is causing your biting pain. They will try to save your natural tooth where possible.

Fillings/Inlays: By replacing decayed areas with strong composite or porcelain the open tubes inside your dentin will be sealed and your teeth will bite comfortably.
Crowns: If your tooth has cracked a crown can be fitted. This will cover your tooth so the cracked pieces won’t flex.
Root Canal: If infection has reached the nerve inside your tooth an endodontist will clean out the infection. They will then seal your tooth to save it from being removed.
Bite Adjustment/Night-guards: By reshaping high areas of your restorations your teeth will bite comfortably. A night-guard can also be provided to protect your teeth from grinding.
Gum Treatment: Deep cleanings such as scaling and root planing will remove any bacterial tartar below the gum line to help heal your inflamed ligaments.

What Can You Do at Home to Relieve Biting Pain?

Book in for a full diagnosis with a licensed dentist.
Try to chew on the opposite side of your mouth to avoid putting pressure on your painful tooth.
Avoid eating very hard, crunchy or sticky foods such as nuts, ice cubes, hard sweets and tough meats.
Continue to brush your teeth gently with a soft bristled toothbrush and floss carefully around your sore area.
Rinse your mouth 3-4 times per day with warm salt water to soothe your inflamed gums.
Never rub aspirin onto your painful gums as the acidic ingredients will cause chemical burns to your soft tissues.

What Are the Frequently Asked Questions About Tooth Pain When Biting?

Can a Tooth Hurt When I Bite Down if There Isn’t a Cavity?

Yes, your tooth can cause pain when you bite down even if there are no cavities. Cracks in your tooth, recent teeth grinding, loose dental work, gum disease, uneven bite or sinus pressure can all cause sharp pain when biting down.

How Do I Know if My Tooth Is Cracked?

If you have a cracked tooth then you will often feel sharp pain when you bite down. The pain will often be unpredictable and increase when you release your bite. If your pain comes and goes when eating certain foods and doesn’t react to temperature then your tooth may be cracked.

Will the Pain Go Away?

If you have mild sensitivity due to sinus pressure or a new filling then this may go away after a few days. However if you have deep cavities, cracks, root infections or gum disease then it won’t go away and will get worse.

Is Sharp Pain When Biting Down a Dental Emergency?

If you are experiencing sharp pain when you bite down and have swelling on your face, a high temperature, bleeding gums or a pimple like bump on your gums then you are experiencing a dental emergency and should seek immediate treatment.

Biting pain is a clear signal from your body that your tooth, nerve or gums need attention. Whatever the cause of your pain whether it be a small cavity, hidden crack, uneven bite or root infection seeing a qualified dentist will help relieve your pain and avoid any complicated dental issues. Book in for a diagnosis with your dentist today to get your teeth biting comfortably again and keep your healthy smile.